The Supreme Court today rejected a petition seeking directions to digitally monitor all elected Members of Parliament (MPs) for better governance.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra observed that the plea seeks MPs should be digitally monitored and all policy should be decided by majority votes etc.
It added that the plea cannot be entertained and placed the petitioner on notice of the fact that the top court will impose costs if he pursues the cases. Nonetheless, the bench desisted from imposing costs with a caution that no such plea should be filed in the future.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice of India stated that the Court cannot digitally monitor all elected MPs, who have the fundamental right to privacy. DY Chandrachud mentioned that the aforesaid step can only be taken for a convicted felon who can flee justice. He sternly directed that if the petitioner argues, then the court will impose costs of Rs 5 lakh which will be recovered as land revenue.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that all the MPs after getting elected under the Representation of People Act start behaving like rulers. They are public servants, the counsel continued.
To this, the Chief Justice replied that he cannot make this charge against all the MPs. He further questioned how can individual citizens make law in a democracy. He underlined that all laws are passed by Parliament after elected MPs participate. He added that as individual citizens, they cannot arrogate the law.
However, the counsel argued that MPs should be monitored round the clock by CCTV, and citizens should have access to this footage on their phones.
Subsequently, CJI DY Chandrachud asked that if the petitioner wants the court to put chips on the MPs who have personal family time also. Questioning the counsel, if he knew what he was arguing, the bench dismissed the petition.